Chaotic Choices
by Art n' Music
Summary: Legend tells of a hero that shall defeat all of chaos, but the lord has kept an eye on him, and wants the hero to join him. After rescuing an unusual girl, the duo are about to travel a extreme, supernatural quest to save all of Lore
1. The Beginning

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

In a mysterious part of the Land of Lore, a lone figure sits patiently on the giant, chaotic throne. He is wearing dark gray armor, with light purple parts, large horns sticking out of his shoulder pads, huge, ripped bat wings, and a purple eye on his chest. His face is shrouded in darkness, with just his glowing, orange eyes showing, hair sticking up, also shrouded in darkness. On his back is a chaotic, sharp sword with a small eye on the crossguard, and he is watching something in his crystal ball.

In it, a boy runs through the forest, dodging monsters of all kinds. He hops over a trench, his rundown cloak billowing in the wind. In his hand is a large dagger, which he uses to mark a tree. "I still can't believe this might be the hero of legend. He's so…how can I put it…weak." Drakath said.

He gets up and walks to a secret room. He passes a hallway full of locked, chaorrupted monsters, then enters a large dome. In the middle is a large purple crystal, sending ripples of energy into a hole in the ground. A deep growl sounds in the opening and Drakath smiles under the shadow. "Soon I shall have all the lords of chaos, and nothing will be able to stop me. Won't that make a nice birthday present?"

A small creature hops out from the shadow. A wolf, with purple fur and deep, red eyes, says, "Oh yes, my liege. It would be wonderful."

Drakath chuckles, then walks back to his throne room. He looks at the crystal, which has changed to show two people. One is wearing gold armor under his blue robes, a crown on his head, and in his hand is a gold sword with a dragonhead as the guard blowing fire down the blade. He has a dragon on one of his gauntlets, and has a brown beard with same colored hair under the crown.

The leader turns his head and looks at the other guy. He has blood red armor, with horns coming off his shoulders, and a helmet in a shape of a menacing dragon. His sword consists of a bone handle, a skull guard, and a long dull-red blade. A red cape billows as he watches from his alcove, his kingdom floating toward Swordhaven. "Looks like a battle is coming. This should be interesting."

"Ah, my liege, what about the child?" the wolf asked.

The crystal shifts and shows the boy again, who is hiding behind a tree. A goblin walks by, not noticing the kid. "Let him have his fun. Soon, I shall show myself after these long years, and if he's smart, he will join with chaos." He laughs evilly into the sky, his wolf snickering with him.

* * *

A boy of 19 darts through the trees, breathing hard as he hops over a bush. _Why are there so many monsters in these forests?_ Rokshaw asked himself. He is wearing worn robes with a bow on his back. In his hand is a dagger for close combat, and has black hair with unusual, friendly red eyes. When the coast is clear, he runs across a river, and runs into a Slime. He jumps back as the monster attacks, and swings his dagger. A large clump of slime falls out, and Rokshaw stabs its inner organs. The Slime falls down, turning liquid, and the boy notices a bag fall out. He wipes the slime off and opens it to find coins in it. He smiles and puts the money in his pouch full of other coins. The boy continues walking toward…anywhere, when he hears swords clashing. He follows the noise through the woods until he finds a man fighting against a skeleton. Rokshaw hides behind a tree and watches the battle take place.

The guy has blue, light armor, wielding a wicked sword. It has a top head of a dragon, with frills on each side, and the blade looks unusualy long with ridges that reaches to the tip. On the guard are tiny, red, blinking eyes, to Rokshaw's surprise, and the man swings at the skeleton. The head hops up, making the blade swing under it, and lands back on its spine. It swipes its blade, and a cut appears on the guy's waist. He clutches his injury, and the skeleton knees his head. The warrior falls, the sword falling out of his grasp. The skeleton was about to make the fatal blow, when an arrow digs in his ribcage. The head looks down with a confused look, and gets kicked toward a tree. Its arm falls off when it crashes, and the skeleton looks up to see a boy holding a dagger. "Stay away from him."

The skeleton growls and attacks, swinging his sword, but Rokshaw blocks the swing and slices downward, cutting the skull in half. They fall on the ground, and the bones fall apart, and when he makes sure they're not coming back, the boy runs back to the guy. He finds him gasping for air, still clutching the bloody wound. "Are you okay?"

"Kid, I don't have much time." he said.

"Don't worry, I'll go get help." Rockshaw was about to run for help when the guy grabs his arm and pulls him back. "No kid. It's too late. I…want you to…listen closely." He starts to lose his voice, so the boy leans in closer. The guy continues, "Go to the town called…Battleon. There, you'll find…a rogue trainer…named Metrea. She…will teach you all…you need to know…to survive…this land." He weakly reaches for his sword and says, "Take…Dragoneye. He…will defend you…till the end."

Rokshaw grabs the handle, and examines the sword. He looks back at the guy, who takes his last breath. His hand falls to the ground, unmoving. The boy listens for a heartbeat, but never found it. Tears start falling out of his eyes as he remembers his parents' death. He gets up, then runs away, leaving the guy behind and some of the memory, but most are still following him. Rockshaw dodges the trees, evading monsters, and looks for a town. He brushes a stray tear off his face, and looks for something high so he can examine his surroundings. Not finding anything, he continues trudging through the forest. Looking at the blade, Rokshaw decides to test the blade. He swings at one tree, and the blade cleanly goes right through. The tree slides off, then topples on its side, sending leaves everywhere. The boy stares at the tree, astounded. "Whoa. This is one sharp blade."

He tests the blade, swinging it around, doing some fancy tricks, when he hears something behind him. The boy twists around and sees another skeleton. His eyes widen, and the skeleton examines the boy. After a while, it clatters, as if talking.

"Huh?"

The bones clatter again, using his axe to point to Rokshaw's sword. He looks at it, then guesses, "No, you cannot have my sword."

Growling, the skeleton raises his weapon and swings. Rokshaw ducks, then strikes with his blade. It locks with the axe, and the two try to push away the other. Slowly, the boy reaches for his dagger, then smacks the head off. It bounces away, and the whole body collapse into pieces. Rokshaw sighs, then continues traveling through the woods. After a while, he sees something tall in the distances: The Mountains. He smiles and runs to the towering works of nature, hoping to not run into any monsters. Suddenly, he hears marching, and hides behind the trees again, for the fiftieth time today. The boy looks around the trunk and sees a mass of skeleton soldiers walking toward somewhere. His eyes follow their movement, then looks up and all his blood drains. Flying above the trees is a gigantic, skeletal dragon floating along the marchers. On its back is a large castle, which shocked Rokshaw. Looking back at the army, he quietly walks around the skeletons, not making a sound.

A dry twig snaps underneath his foot, and Rokshaw stiffens. The army stops, and one of them, the general, clatters to one skeleton, which walks to the noise. It looks around the area, pushing some bushes out of the way, checking the trees. It doesn't find anyone, so the skeleton walks back to the marching mass, and they continue their traveling. After they vanish, Rokshaw falls off the branch he was hiding on top of, and says to himself, "That was too close." He runs away, thinking of different possibilities the skeleton crew could be doing in the forest.

After a while, he finally makes it to the base of the mountains, and looks up. "This is taller than I thought it was." He looks around for a second choice, but doesn't think of any. Sighing, Rokshaw starts scaling the rocky ground, hooking the sword on his back. A quarter ways up, he finds himself already panting, and stops on top of an outcropping. "Why…am I…doing this…anyway? Oh yeah, because a guy, who is dead, told me to find a trainer for some reason. Instead of letting me try to find a medic, he just gives me a blade."

After his little break, he continues climbing, finding footholds in the rock. When he is halfway up, Rokshaw stops, then gets an idea and moves around the mountain. He finds a large ledge, and lands at the edge. Dark clouds start moving in as the boy starts looking around, trying to find a town, or at least a house. He turns to his left, and sees a whole city thriving. In the middle is a castle, peaceful and powerful. Rokshaw smiles and says, "Maybe someone knows where Metrea is." He was about to head back down when a lightning bolt shoots down, shocking Rokshaw. He falls off the ridge and bounces down the painful wall of the mountain. He stops at another outcropping, groaning. The boy gets up and rubs his head when the rock cracks at his feet. "Oh no. Not again."

The rock collapses and the boy continues his alternative way down the mountain. "Oof. Ahh. Ohh. Oww!" At some point the boy drops his blade, and it hops down the mountain.

After a while, bumping his head multiple times, the rocky wall suddenly falls downward, and Rokshaw flies toward the ground at breaking speed. He crashes into the dirt, creating a small crater. His sword digs into the ground next to his head, and after waiting a while, he tries to get up, but falls back, starting to fall into blackness. The last thing he saw was a dark figure looking down at him, when he enters unconsciousness.


	2. Ninja Trainer

**Chapter 2: Ninja Training**

Rokshaw groans as he feels his whole body is as stiff as a rock. He is afraid at what he would find, after seeing a dark shape, so he guesses through senses. He feels something comfortable on his back and head, as well as something soft covering his lower body. The boy smells, and his nose senses a strong, but sweet, aroma and the smell of fire burning. He listens for a while, and hears soft crickets chirping, and the crackle of a fire, so he knows that there is a fire. Mustering a little courage, Rokshaw opens his eyes slowly, and looks at the night sky full of sparkling stars and the top arrows of trees. He turns his head to one side, and finds a fire cackling and cooking a teapot. Confused, the boy gets up, his body stiffening even more. He rubs his head as a headache erupts, and twists his head slowly at his surroundings. A forest surrounds him with no mountain in range, which confused him. _I know I landed next to a mountain. Hard. So where is it?"_

Rokshaw hears a noise behind him, and twirls his head quick, almost breaking his rigid neck. He closes his eyes as pain shoots from his neck. His hand rubs it, and the boy looks around for the noise. Another rustle of leaves come from above, and a dark figure falls out of the trees. It lands lightly on its feet, and walks to the fire. Rokshaw takes a closer look and notices a feminine body as she places something into the pot. She stirs it around, then removes the teapot and puts it on a dirt ground. She turns and Rokshaw sees the intense pink eyes. He stiffens what's left of his flexibility as the girl examines him. "Good. You're awake." she said with a friendly, but imposing voice. "How're you feeling?"

"Stiff and in pain."

"Well, I expected that when I saw you fall about five hundred feet down a mountain. I was surprised that you survived that fall." She pours some liquid from the pot and tests it. Satisfied, the woman pours another cup and walks to him. "Here. This should help."

Rokshaw hesitantly takes the cup and eyes the girl. Seeing this, she says, "Don't worry, it's not poisoned if that's what you're thinking of." She takes a sip from her cup, and Rokshaw takes a whiff. A mouth watering, sweet aroma enters his mind, and he takes a sip. Scalding liquid with the taste of fruit touches his tongue, and he spits it out, startled. The girl raises an eyebrow at the reaction, and Rokshaw exclaims, "What is this?"

"Entale Tea. It helps to relax your body and replenishes your strength."

"But does it have to be burning?"

"It works best when it is hot. Drink up or it'll take longer to heal." She takes another sip as if it's a cool drink of regular tea, and the boy tries again. The burning sensation returns, but Rokshaw forces it down his throat, and the fire spreads across his body. "I'm surprised you can handle the sensation."

"You get used to it when you drink this after every tiring mission."

The boy sighs and chokes down the rest of the tea. After a while, he starts to get used to the burning fluid. He notices the mango and berry flavor, and soon his whole body loosens up and he says, "Wow. That stuff actually works. Where did you learn this?"

"From my sister's friend, Juvania."

"Is she a…"

"Healer." The girl finishes.

"Healer. Is she a trainer or something?"

"Yes. There are four main trainers as well as others. I'm one of them."

"Okay, what do you train and who's your sister?"

The girl looks at Rokshaw and asks, "Isn't that a little personal?"

"The training?"

"My sister."

"Oh. Well if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay." The boy said quickly.

"It's alright. By the way, I'm a ninja trainer, Mazumi."

"Okay. Is it alright if I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you know a rogue trainer named Metrea?"

Mazumi looks at him and says, "Of course I know her. She is my sister."

Rokshaw was about to ask another question when he stops after hearing this. "Metrea is your sister? I'm sorry, but that got me off-guard."

"Yes. I know. That's why I don't tell many people. That's why the only ones that know are the main trainers and King Alteon. We haven't talked much for a few years. I wonder if she is doing alright."

"So, can you tell me where she is? Or at least Battleon?"

"I could, but are you sure you want to be a rogue? Sure, they're great fighters, but ninjas can hide in anything and can have better agility when it comes to fighting and traveling."

Rokshaw was about to say okay when he sees a message in her statement. "Wait, are you giving me a choice?"

"You can be a rogue if you want. I'm not gonna stop you. Just a thought." She walks away from the fire, looking glum. Rokshaw watches her, then asks, "Are you having trouble with something?"

Mazumi stays quiet for a while longer, then says, "For some reason, nobody wants to be a ninja. No, they want to be a strong warrior, a sneaky pirate, or a powerful dragonslayer. Ninja seems to never enter their mind." Mazumi said gloomily. "If you want to be a rogue, then town is just east from here. Your blade is against the tree."

Rokshaw gets up from his makeshift bed and walks to the tree Mazumi indicated. After picking up his blade, he starts to walk east, but looks back at the ninja, who is still looking out through the forest. The boy reviews his options of a ninja or a rogue. Rogues are strong and quick on their feet, but ninjas can attack in secrecy and end a battle before it begins. Looking back, he makes a decision and walks back to the woman. "Mazumi, would you like to be my trainer?"

She looks back quickly, surprised, and asks, "You'd rather be a ninja?"

"Yeah. There's probably not even a ninja out there, and I could surprise my enemies with the skill."

Mazumi smiles and says, "I see that you're using your brains for your choice instead of your likings. You might become a great ninja."

He chuckles, then asks, "So, when do we begin?"

"You sure you can handle it?"

"I survived a five hundred drop from a mountain. I think I can handle anything."

"Okay, but just so you know, I won't take it easy on you." Mazumi said.

"Well then, bring on the challenges."

* * *

The ninja trainer, Mazumi, taught Rokshaw all the things ninjas represent and all the techniques, from stealth to strength. Many days pass, and Rokshaw gets stronger and smarter each day, becoming the first ninja in a decade. While training, he is being watched. Drakath spies on the boy, impressed. "A ninja. Well, aren't I impressed."

"My master, are you going to strike now?" the wolf asked.

"At the kid? No, but I will strike at Alteon and Sepulchure. Just wait till they find out about me." He laughs as he flies into the sky, the wolf catching a ride on his back.


	3. You Decide

**Chapter 3:** **You Decide**

In the Greenguard Forest, two monsters walk side by side, talking to each other in growls and snarls. One is lizard like with frog legs and abilities, the other a ridiculously large spider with green markings on its abdomen. They stop and snarl at each other, looking like they're arguing. While in their disagreement, a stick snaps in the dark, and the monsters stop and turn to the noise. The spider walks to the dense forest, and scuttles around, the frogzard watching intensely. Suddenly, the arachnid vanishes, startling the green lizard. It looks around to find the person, but doesn't see anything, when a black mass falls from the trees and lands in front of the monster. It jumps back, whimpering, and finds the spider upside down, legs sticking up. Dead. The frogzard slowly walks backwards, then sprints into the forest. Before he goes a few feet, a metal star digs into the ground in front of the beast. It yelps, and was about to run the other way when a blue figure drops, blocking its path. Before the creature could utter a cry, the being takes out a large blade and swiftly slashes across the chest, injuring his lungs. It falls on its side, gasping. The person walks to it and crouches next to the frogzard, and grabs an item, a necklace, from the clutches of the creature. "I believe this is mine, ugly." he said.

The creature takes its last breath, then rolls his eyes back, his tongue sticking out. Rokshaw gets up and walks through the forest, sheathing his sword. He puts the necklace on his neck, covering it under his suit. The nineteen year old man exits the tree forest, heading for a small town with some buildings, a hotel, and a tower: Battleon. Rokshaw enters a building, where his friend, Frisdal, who is cleaning a counter. "Hey there, Rokshaw. What brings you here?"

"I just came to get some food supplies." He said, passing some customers. Frisdal says, "The usual, coming up." He flips some knives, cutting meat, cheese, bread, and fruit, putting them on the counter next to the ninja when he's done. After a while, Frisdal puts the last food on the supplies, and Rokshaw puts a bag full of money on the counter. "Thanks, Frisdal."

"Anytime, Rokshaw."

The friend takes the bag, and Rokshaw puts some coins on the counter. "And a little for the store. This place looks like it'll fall down after someone sneezes."

"Yeah, it does look rundown, but it will be fixed, with some reminders staying."

"You mean those slashes in the wood from past battles?"

"Yep. All those treasured memories."

Chuckling, the ninja says, "Yep. It's good to keep reminders of treasured pasts. Well, I'll see ya later." He grabs his supplies and walks out; getting some suspicious eyes following him, but Rokshaw ignores them. He exits the store and walks through the town, looking at all the merchandise and inhabitants. Before leaving, he stops by another store, Yulgar's weapon shop, and stops by a desk. He rings a bell, and a guy wearing a tan apron with a green shirt and jeans underneath, carrying a hammer. "Yeah, Rokshaw?"

"Is my bow ready?"

"Ahh, yes." He walks into a room, and comes out later carrying a wooden bow edged with metal, its string shining in the light. "Here ya go. One of my latest inventions, and probably the last one I'll make for a while. These materials are so hard to find." Placing the bow on the desk, he continues, "The wood is made of a special tree, so tough a dragon can't even crack it. The metal is made of Etherstorm iron, heated in their volcano, giving it its durability, so it's even tougher and can never be burned or melted, and stainless. The string made from sinew from the carnivorous clam in the deepest part of the ocean. Hope you like it."

Rokshaw takes the bow and bends it around, then checking the string, which plays like a guitar. "Nice. Everything seems to be right."

"If you don't like it during the first year, you can return it and get your money back guaranteed."

"Thanks, Yulgar. You really outdid yourself."

"No thanks needed, but is really appreciated. Have a nice day." Rokshaw leaves, taking the bow with him, and heads back into the forest, done in the city. After a while in the jungle, he enters a clearing, and stops. Dropping the supplies on the ground, the man looks around, expecting something. He senses something from behind and swiftly takes out his blade and turns. He blocks an attack from a red robed individual with two Sais, and Rokshaw pushes it back and flips back from the attack. He readies his weapon, the woman doing the same. After a pause, she attacks first and Rokshaw ducks and swings his blade. Blocking the attack, the girl resumes attacking, but the man jumps and vanishes in the trees. The girl carefully looks around, trying to find Rokshaw, and quickly twists around. Her weapons are knocked out her hands and she gets pushed against a tree, a blade against her neck. Rokshaw breathes hard, waiting. After a while, the girl says, "Very good."

The man backs up, casing the blade. "Thank you."

After Mazumi dusts her off, she adds, "I taught you well, Rokshaw. To me, I think you are ready for the greatest mission."

"And what would that be?"

She walks over and waves a hand to the world. "To be out there, helping anybody in need. This is where we part."

Understanding, Rokshaw takes a bow. "Thank you for all that you taught me."

"Make sure you use them to get great victories. And one more thing." Mazumi walks to a chest and takes out a red suit. "This is for you. You've earned it."

The man takes the suit, surprised. "Isn't this for the highest ranking pupils?"

"Yes, and you are a high rank."

Rokshaw looks at it more, then says, "Thank you."

The trainer pats his shoulder and says, "Take care out there."

"I will." He said before running back to the forest. Mazumi watches him go, thinking, _One of my best pupils yet._

* * *

One girl walks through a dark hallway, armors and skulls decorating it. The girl is wearing red armor with a cape, and a face full of friendliness and stern. She has red, long flowing hair reaching to her waist, bright blue eyes, and a bright smile, when she smiles. Compared to her father, she is the light in the black. As Gravelyn heads to her destination, she thinks of her life before, when her father wasn't the Lord of the Shadowscythe…

_A young Gravelyn, wearing a bright red dress, runs through the open fields, laughing like there's happiness all over the world. She rolls down a hillside, her pet wolf catching up. She stops at the bottom of the flower hill, and the wolf licks her face. Laughing, she says, "Alright, Crystal, down girl."_

_After calming her pet down, Gravelyn says, "Let's get back to daddy before he gets scared." They run back up the hill to the castle where her dad is. After running over the moat on the bridge, being greeted by some friends, she runs to her house where Sepulchure, a handsome man with dark red hair, hazel eyes, and lean, wearing his guardian armor, is writing on a piece of paper. "Hi daddy." Gravelyn said._

_Her father turns and brightens at the sight. "Hey, Gravelyn." He picks her up and puts her on his lap. "How's my favorite daughter doing?"_

"_Great, daddy." She looks at the paper and asks, "What are you doing?"_

"_Just writing a report on my latest battle. You know, the one with a giant, water breathing dragon with children. That was a nightmare."_

"_What happened?"_

"_Uh, I'd rather not talk about it. The battle was really…how should I put it…disgusting."_

"_Eww." She said, making a face._

"_Yes, it was. Hopefully that's the last 'eww' battle I ever take." He puts her down, and she runs to her favorite spot in the house. Sepulchure write down the last thing, and puts his pencil down. "All done." He turns to his daughter and finds her playing with her wooden sword, parring and thrusting at a dummy. The warrior chuckles, then says, "Gravelyn, I have a surprise for you."_

_She stops her fun, and looks at her dad. "Really?"_

"_Yes. Remember that river where your mother would take you?"_

"_Yes."_

_Sepulchure smiles. "Why don't we go there again?"_

_Gravelyn girns wide and starts hopping in glee, laughing. She runs to her dad and hugs him tight."Thank you thank you thank you!"_

_The warrior also starts to laugh, and he gets up, moving his daughter away. "Okay, we'll go once I turn my report in." He picks up the paper and was about to walk out when his friend, Alteon, walks in. "Hey there, Sepulchure."_

"_Hey Alteon, what brings you here?"_

"_I just came to see how you're coming with your report."_

"_As a matter in fact, I was about to turn it in and go to the river with my daughter."_

"_Ah, well, How 'bout I help and take the report to the king, and you and Gravelyn," He waves to the little girl, who waves back. "can head there now."_

"_I would really appreciate that." He gives his friend the report, and Alteon says, "Hope you have a nice day, pal."_

"_You too."_

_Alteon walks to the castle, and Sepulchure and Gravelyn walk out and head to their famous river…_

Gravelyn sighs at the memory, a smile starting to creep on her face, but it quickly disappears. She continues down the hall, and enters a room where she finds her father, in his red armor, is looking out a window, where a city, some distance away, is thriving. "Father?"

He turns and spots his daughter, his threatening dragon helmet shining. "Gravelyn, how are you doing?"

"Fine. I was wondering where we are going?"

Turning back toward the city, and says, "We are going to Swordhaven where I shall get rid of the person threatening all of Shadowscythe. King Alteon."

Her eyes widen a little, and asks, "But wasn't he a friend of ours?"

"Friends? Ha. If we were friends, then why didn't he come when you lost your mother?"

After hearing this, Gravelyn tries to hold back a tear. "Well, father, I was wondering if we can go down to the river before the attack."she asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry daughter, but I need to get the army ready."

She looks down, saying, "Of course."

"Now, if you excuse me, I need to check on Chuckle's progress." Sepulchure walks out a door, and Gravelyn walks to the alcove, looking around. _Whatever happened to my father?_ While thinking, she spots some movement on the ground. The girl tries to get a closer look, but it quickly vanishes. The last thing she saw was a flash of dark red.

* * *

Rokshaw hops down a tree, carrying a dragon in his arms, and hands the animal to Aria. "Here ya go. Little guy almost burned me to a crisp."

After taking the pet, she says, "Thank you for saving Fury."

"If he's a dragon, then how come he didn't just fly off?"

"Well, in dragon time, he is probably a late bloomer. Plus, he has a sprained wing."

Fury whimpers in agreement, and the ninja says, "Ohh. Well, hope you have a good day."

"Well, do you want anything in return for saving Fiery?" Aria asked.

"No, that's okay."

"You sure? I have plenty of pets you can have."

"Well…Sure. I could always use a partner."

"Great." She walks to her store, Rokshaw following. After entering the shop, he finds the place packed with animals. He walks past different kinds of animals, from friendly cats, to ferocious Chimeras. He takes a look at all of them while Aria says, "I have all kinds of pets here. At least the ones I can calm. Look around and find one you like while I fix up Fury here." She enters a separate room where she patches up his sprained wing, and Rokshaw continues looking around. He finds some moglins of all kinds, bats, wyverns, and dragons. After he turns a corner, checking a deep blue wolf, something nudges his leg, and Rokshaw turns to see a red and bright orange dragon bumping him. "Hey there."

The dragon purrs as the ninja pets him, and Aria walks toward him. "Did you find an animal you like?"

"Maybe. Uh, what type of dragon is this?"

"Oh. That is a fiery dragon from the land of Etherstorm. They're super rare to have a pet because they are ferocious even without using their powers. I was just lucky to catch and serene him. I was lucky not to have a permanent burn on my arm."

"So what's his power?"

"He is similar to a volcano, so he can breathe fire as well as lava, can survive extreme heat, and super loyal, once you can get it."

"How much does he cost?"

Aria seems taken back, and asks, "You want to buy him?"

"Well yeah. I think he will make a great pet."

"Uh, well sorry for my reaction, but nobody seems to want to buy him. I was surprised he isn't biting your hands off."

"Really? He doesn't seem that mean." The dragon purrs again, and Aria says, "Well, he would be fifty thousand gold coins, but since you saved one of the pets, he's only ten thousand."

Rokshaw checks his bag, takes coins out, and hands them to the store owner. "Here ya go."

"Thank you. I hope you and your pet will have a great day."

The ninja walks out, his dragon flying after him, and he thinks of a name. "What should I call you? Fire boy? No, too simple. Flappers? Too childish. Crimson? Maybe as a backup." Then, he gets an idea and says, "I think I got it. How about Storm?"

Storm flies in a circle in joy, and the ninja says, "You like that, don't you?"

Suddenly, a shadow covers the land, and Storm blows fire in the air. Rokshaw looks up, and his blood drains out of his body. In the sky is something he hadn't seen since last year: A giant skeleton dragon floating, his skull grinning at the fears of everyone. The dragon whimpers and hides behind Rokshaw's legs, and the man watches the skeletal kingdom move across the air. He looks forward to where the dragon is heading to, and sees a large town with a giant castle. "Uh oh. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Storm growls, and they duo head to the city.

Artix leans against a wall, twirling his axe out of boredom, Robina sipping her drink. "So Artix, anything exciting happen?"

"No, nothing." He groaned. "I wish something would happen so I can destroy it." The place darkens, and the two look up to see Sepulchure's kingdom. "You did ask for something." Robina said.

Undead warriors fall off the dragon and start attacking the town, and Artix hefts his axe, Robina notching an arrow. They run toward the battle, and start beating back the skeleton army. As they fight, the castle moves forward, dropping even more warriors in the castle. Artix spots them, and says, "Robina, get to the castle. Hurry!"

She nods, and rushes to the center of the town, while Artix's pile of dead undead warriors grows larger. He smiles at his inevitable victory, but then magic undead appears, and attacks with elemental powers. "Oh no." He gets surrounded, but he isn't giving up without a fight. The slayer hacks off the heads, jumps over magic, and squishes bones to dust. Soon, he makes a mistake, and a warrior knocks off the axe out of his hands, and pushes the slayer down. Artix looks up at the undead, and one raises his sword for the killing blow, when an arrow nocks through its skull. It falls to pieces, and the slayer guesses, "Robina?"

"Not quite." said a masculine voice. Artix looks around, and five more skeletons fall apart. The others checks around in confusion, and see a man in red garbs. "Hey there. Have we met before?" He vanishes, and the rest of the undead explode. The man stops in front of Artix, and offers a hand. "Who are you?" Artix asked.

"A friend." he said. The slayer grabs the hand, and the man lifts him back up. "Looks like you guys need some help."

"Yeah. Looks like." His eyes widen, and yells, "Look out!" He pushes the man away, and dodges a swipe of a blade. He looks for his axe, but the undead swipes again, making him dodge again. Suddenly, something red and orange flies past his head and starts gnashing the skull. The skeleton shrieks in pain, and the animal rips the head apart. The body falls to pieces, and Artix takes a better look at the thing to find a dragon. His eyes widen as the man walks back. To Artix's surprise, he leans down and pets the dragon on the head. "Good boy."

"Uh, you do know that you're petting a _dragon._"

"Yeah. So?"

"Dude, they are ferocious beast! They are dangerous!"

"Not if you get one calm enough for a pet. And being so dangerous, they make great guard pets."

"Uhh, okay." He gets up and grabs his axe. "What's your name?"

"Rokshaw. And this is Storm." He said, pointing to the dragon.

"Okay well, I got this place handled. And it looks like the castle is getting the worst."

"Already on it." Rokshaw said before running toward his destination, Storm following close by. Artix watches him go, and asks himself, "What is he? A ninja?"

After Rokshaw runs over the wall and the moat, he looks around, seeing the undead everywhere. He enters the castle and sees a girl in green shooting warrior after warrior. She spots the ninja and asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Believe it or not, I'm here to help."

"Help? What can you do, and why do you have a dragon?"

Rokshaw takes out his blade and slashes an undead behind him, then shoots an arrow at a skeleton mage. "Is that good enough for ya?"

"Okay, I'm a little convinced."

"Great. You might want to duck."

The girl raises an eyebrow, then turns and sees the dragon coming at her. Yelping, she ducks, and Storm fires a spray of lava at a warrior, which melts. The woman looks at the dragon, then says, "Okay. I want you to check on the king. I'm Robina, in case you're wondering."

Rokshaw nods, then runs up the stairs toward the throne room. He slashes down other undead, looking for the giant doors. "C'mon. Where is the room?" He hears Storm whimpering somewhere, and he says, "Not now, Storm. I'm trying to find the Throne room."

The dragon still whimpers, and Rokshaw turns. "What are you whining a-whoa!" He ducks at an axe coming, and slices the undead in half. After it crumbles, the man looks at his pet, and sees him scratching on a door. "Oh. That's what you're whining about." The ninja runs to it and starts pounding the door. "Hello! Is anybody on the other side?" Realizing what he just said, he whispers to himself, "Of course there are others on the other side. Its where dead people go."

"Hello? Can anybody open the door? We're here to help!" Rokshaw hears rattles, and turns to see undead warriors surrounding him. "Hey! OPEN THE FREAKING DOOR!" He pounds on the door with more force, but it still doesn't budge. Giving up, he turns back to the undead and threatens them with his sword. "Back! This thing is deadly to all, living or undead."

The army stops, and looks at each other, a confusing look on their skulls. Later, the lead army heaves their weapons up in a throwing position. Rokshaw's eyes widen. "Oh no."

Storm growls and spews lava at them, but they dodge the attack. When they were about to make the ninja in ninja kebab, the doors open and two hands grab Rokshaw and Storm, and pulls them in. Just when the doors shut, a volley of weapons embeds into the door.

Rokshaw crashes on the floor, his dragon flying up. He looks up at his rescuer and sees a king wearing gold armor with blue robes, a crown, and has a beard and wise, blue eyes, and a dragon design on his gauntlet. The ninja looks around and sees columns around doorways and a throne in the middle. "Are you crazy?"

Rokshaw gets up and asks, "Are you King Alteon?"

"Yes I am. Who are you, and what class are you?"

"I'm Rokshaw, and I am one of the first ninja in a decade." Storm floats down and lands next to Rokshaw's feet. "And this is my pet, Storm."

The king looks at the dragon, and says, "Nice pet. So what are you doing here?"

"I came because your kingdom was in danger. Robina sent me up here to check on you."

"Ahh. Okay then, well welcome to my kingdom. Or what's left of it anyway." King Alteon walks to his throne and sits down, grabbing his dragon sword. Confused, Rokshaw asks, "So what are you doing?"

"I am waiting for a certain someone to appear."

"And…who would that be?"

"If the kingdom Shadowfall is here, then Sepulchure isn't far."

"Okay, I get it. You're waiting for your nemesis to come. But, who's Sepulchure?"

The king was about to answer when they hear a thud. King Alteon gets up, readying his sword, as another thud sounds. Rokshaw backs up from the doors as cracks appear around the doors. He hears cries of pain on the other side of the door, then silence. The ninja raises his sword, but Alteon says, "No. Get back. This is my battle."

"Whatever you say, my liege." He walks to a wall, sheathing his sword, when the door blasts apart. Soldiers rain in, all dead, and a tall figure in blood red armor walks in, the dragon helm shining menacing. Two guards run into the room and attack, but the lord's eyes shine, and a column of skulls shoot out of the ground, knocking one guard. He points to the last guard, and he is lifted off the ground, surrounded by swirls of darkness. The guard explodes, his bones piling up. "Hello Alteon. It's been awhile. Ten years to be exact."

"Sepulchure. I was wondering when you'd show up." Alteon said, aiming the tip of his sword at the lord. Sepulchure looks at the sword, and says, "So, we're not going to chit chat like ol' friends?"

"You lost that friendship a long time ago."

The lord chuckles and says, "Then it's time to meet your maker." Sepulchure rushes in, and swings down his sword, but Alteon blocks it. They attack one another, not getting an edge. The lord walks back and swings an arm and a wave of darkness lead by skulls rush to the king, but he uses his swords power and creates a force field, blocking the attack. After the field dies down, Sepulchure takes the chance and knocks the king back. He was about to make the death blow, when he senses someone behind him. He quickly blocks the attack from a sword and grabs the person's neck. The lord turns to see Rokshaw trying to pry the fingers off. "This battle is between me and the king, boy." Then, he screams, and looks down to see Storm biting his ankle. "Get off you filthy animal!" He tries to shake the dragon off, and Rokshaw uses the opportunity. He kicks the lord's head, and makes him let go of his neck. He attacks, but Sepulchure blocks and punches. Ducking, he continues attacking, but the lord feints to the left, then punches the ninja. He flies in the air and crashes on the wall, cracking it. "You are strong. We could use your strength."

Rokshaw gets up as he talks. "Join the Shadowscythe with me. Together, we can overcome any enemy and collect great riches."

"Don't listen to him." King Alteon said. "Join my army, and together, we can defeat the evil that plagues this land."

"Do not listen to that whelp. Join with me, and you can have unlimited power."

Rokshaw looks at the good and evil, not making up his mind. "I…I…I…" Suddenly, an explosion comes from a wall, sending rocks everywhere. Alteon ducks, but Sepulchure isn't so lucky. A rock crashes onto him and he crashes against the wall. He throws the rock away and yells, "Who did that!"

Everyone looks at the opening, and a dark purple figure appears from the dust. He walks out of the shadow to reveal a pale face with green eyes and shadows under it, and black hair sticking up.

"Drakath?"

"DRAKATH?"

Rokshaw asks, "Who's Drakath?"

The being chuckles, then says, "Well, Rokshaw, I am the lord of chaos."


End file.
